Win-win: Summer QI programme for medical students.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Student Training

Background:

• Undergraduate medical students (UMS) often lack formal quality improvement (QI) education.
• There is a growing interest among UMS in QI, recognizing their potential for innovation.
• Experiential learning is crucial for developing QI competencies in future physicians.

Purpose of the Study:

• To implement and evaluate an undergraduate training program providing experiential QI education.
• To assess the impact of the Summer Healthcare Improvement Programme (SHIP) on student knowledge, skills, and career perception.
• To explore the benefits of integrating UMS into healthcare improvement initiatives.

Main Methods:

• The 15-week Summer Healthcare Improvement Programme (SHIP) involved UMS in QI projects.
• Students were mentored by physician QI leaders and residents, co-leading projects to completion.
• Competencies were assessed through QI activities and program surveys, with projects aligned to organizational goals.

Main Results:

• 19 students completed 22 QI projects, resulting in academic posters and publications.
• All participating students received QI certification.
• 72% of students reported increased QI knowledge and skills, 90% believed the program would benefit peers, and 71% felt it applied to their careers.

Conclusions:

• The SHIP program successfully provided early, experiential QI exposure for undergraduate medical students.
• It cultivated student QI leaders dedicated to project completion, enhancing healthcare improvement efforts.
• The program offered a valuable physician QI learning continuum with minimal cost to institutions.